Signature gathering and stitching machine



Oct. 5, 1965 w. B. MCCAIN 70 SIGNATURE GATHERING AND STITCHING MACHINEOriginal Filed Feb. 15, 1960 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 a HIM".

Inventor wiluclm B.M Cain,

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orrzegs Oct. 5, 1965 w. B. MCCAIN 25,370

SIGNATURE GATHERING AND STITCHING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 15, 196010 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor William B.MCa;rz

Oct. 5, 1965 w. B. M CAIN SIGNATURE GATHERING AND STITCHING MACHINE 1OSheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Feb. 15, 1960 Inventor wiHiqm B.M Cain. irfl (Q 2 My Oct. 5, 1965 w. B. MCCAIN Re. 25,870

SIGNATURE GATHERING AND STITCHING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 15, 196010 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor William B.M Cain.

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SIGNATURE GATHERING AND STITCHING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 15, 196010 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor William B-MCain. B J Z WM ai /Lb :H'ROrrzegsOct. 5, 1965 w. a. M CAIN 25,370

SIGNATURE GATHERING AND STITCHING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 15, 196010 Sheets-Sheet 6 316 BISF Inventor William B. MCain.

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fittornegs Oct. 5, 1965 w. B. M CAIN 25,870

SIGNATURE GATHERING AND STITCHING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 15, 196010 Sheets-Sheet 7 TH .11 211 as Ln 2w Inventor William D. MCain.

CHING MACHINE 1O Sheets-Sheet 8 Original Filed Feb. 15, 1960 29.15 D r 1sea J Hig -14 372 4208 4 h IIIHI, ill I NW umpn 374B i l\ InventorWillinm B.MCain.

zra/M6, 'w MM #H'forrzegs Oct. 5, 1965 w. B. M CAIN SIGNATURE GATHERINGAND STITCHING MACHINE 1O Sheets-Sheet 9 Original Filed Feb. 15, 1960Inventor William B-M Cain.

fi/dfi m I44 aw/Am :mlornegs Oct. 5, 1965 w. B. M CAIN SIGNATUREGATHERING AND STITCHING MACHINE 1O Sheets-Sheet 10 Original Filed Feb.15, 1960 MOO MW W

Inventor William 5. M Cai :5 %/4/& Wm

orrzegfi United States Patent 25,870 SIGNATURE GATHERING AND STITCHINGMACHINE William B. McCain, I-Iinsdale, Iil., assignor to ChicagoMachinery Laboratory, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of IllinoisOriginal No. 3,057,620, dated Oct. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 72,918, Dec. 1.1960, which is a division of Ser. No. 8,629, Feb. 15, 1960. Applicationfor reissue Feb. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 358,676

12 Claims. (Cl. 270-54) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in theoriginal patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matterprinted in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

This invention relates to a machine for gathering signatures intobooklet form and advancing the same to a stitching station where thesignatures are stitched together to afford a book. This application is adivision of application Serial No. 8,629, filed February 15, 1960.

Machines of the kind to which the present invention relates are commonlyemployed in the production of books of relatively small size, that is,books such as television guides, rotogravure sections, small magazinesand the like, wherein there are but a few signatures to be joinedtogether. Machines of this kind are equipped with two or more supplyhoppers from which signatures are individually fed and eventuallyarranged with respect to a conveyor to be conveyed in a juxtaposedcondition to a stitching station where the same are joined into a bookby staples or other fastening means.

In those instances where the book is to be, let us say only of eight tosixteen pages, the staples that join the signatures account for asignificant thickness, and this makes stacking difficult and awkward.This is due of course to the fact that the staples in the stack of booksare aligned one atop another, and the object of the present invention isto produce stagger stitching in an advantageous manner such that thebooks can be stacked with the staples of one book misaligned withrespect to immediately adjacent books. This, it will be recognized,enables higher stacks to be made without apprehension of the stacktoppling, and also facilitates handling, packaging, and shipment sincestacks of more uniform dimension are made possible. In other words, incontrast to a stack having a significant fan shape, the presentinvention makes possible a stack of signatures of more rectilincalshape.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description and claims and are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings which, by way of illustration. show preferredembodiments of the present invention and the principle thereof and whatis now considered to be the best mode contemplated for applying thisprinciple. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same orequivalent principle may he used and structural changes may be made asdesired by those skilled in the art without departing from the presentinvention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the front of a signature gathering andstitching machine constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the back of the machine;

FIG. 2A is a detail plan view of portions of the aligner gauges in themachine;

FIG. 3 is a detail perspective view showing the move ment of. signaturesalong the saddle track of the machine;

FIGS. 4A to 4F inclusive are schematic views illustrat- Re. 25,870Reissued Oct. 5, 1965 ing various stages during the transfer feeding ofa signature from its hopper lo the saddle track;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing, details of the feed means used totransfer a signature from its hopper to the saddle track;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are detail perspective views showing more details ofthe parts appearing in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a detail elevation of an aligner gauge and the associated pagefiattcncr;

FIG. 10 is a plan view on the line 1010 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a schematic layout showing the relation of the conveyor chainto the signature gathering and stitching stations;

FIG. 11A is a plan of the spacing between feed fingers on the conveyorchain;

FIG. 12 is a transverse sectional view through the saddle track andshowing the relation of the conveyor chain thereto;

FIG. 12A is a perspective view of the conveyor feed elements enteringthe signature gathering station;

FIG. 13 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of the conveyor chainand certain of the feed elements associated therewith;

FIG. 14- is a top plan view showing the relation between the feed fingerguide rails and related parts of certain of the feed fingers;

FIG. 15 is a side elevation taken substantially on the line 15-15 ofFIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a detail plan view of a book feed element;

FIG. 17 is a view showing the condition of a book feed element in itsraised or active position;

FIG. 18 is a side elevation at one side of the gathering station;

FIG. 19 is a detail perspective view showing certain of the gears usedas drive elements;

FIG, 20 is a side elevation at the side of the gathering stationopposite that shown in FIG. 18; and

FIG. 21 is a detail perspective view at one end of the gatheringstation.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND DRIVE CONNECTIONS The machine of the presentinvention is illustrated in FIG. 1 as comprising. at the right-hand sideas viewed in this figure, a pair of signature supply hoppers H1 and H2which are partly hidden from view by a pair of raised cover plates (1and C2 which, when lowered, cover feed discs and related partsconstituting means by which signatures are removed individually fromeach related hop per. These signatures, as shown in FIG. 3, aredeposited eventually in a spread state on a saddle conveyor track SDlocated at the front of the machine below the supply hoppers. Asignature from supply hopper H1 will first be deposited on the saddle,whereafter this signature, as shown in FIG. 3, is advanced along thesaddle toward hopper HZ where the second signature for the book isdropped on top of the first signature. As will be evident in FIG. 3,signatures on the saddle are in a spread state with the folded bucks atthe top of the saddle, and the signatures are advanced along the saddletrack by feed elements of a first set carried by an endless chain 365,FIG. ll. These fccd elements operate in a particular manner, asdescribed hereinafter.

The foregoing describes generally parts that are located at whatrepresents the signature gathering station of the machine identifiedgenerally at GS in FIG. 1. A group of signatures thus gathered intobooklet form are moved as a unitary body along the saddle to the left asviewed in FIG. 1 toward the signature stitching apparatus SR, FIG. 1,and are deposited by the aforesaid iced elements in a stationary statebeneath a pair of stapling heads SH identifying the location of thestitching station. It is here that staples or other fastening elementsare passed through the backs of the signatures in a booklet group tocomplete the formation of the book.

The signatures are then advanced by another set of feed elements on thechain 365 to the left hand end of the machine where the signatures arecollected and stacked. The equipment embodied in the stitcher mechanismSR constitutes no part of the present invention and hence details ofthis equipment wil not be described herein. The present invention isprimarily concerned with the mechanism used to advance the signaturesalong the saddle SD to the stitching station, and in particular feedmechanism and related parts for producing stagger stitching.

The various parts to be described hereinafter in connection with feedingthe signatures to the saddle SD, and the conveyor mechanism associatedwith the saddle SD, are driven from a main drive motor (not shown). Thismotor drives a shaft (not shown) having a main drive sprocket 103, FIG.18, atfixed thereto. A chain is trained around the sprocket 103 and overa pair of idler sprockets 105 and 106 which are located on a mountingplate 217, FIG. 18, at the left-hand side of the gathering station. Thechain 105 is also trained around a driven sprocket 108, and the shaftwhich supports this sprocket also supports a main drive gear 110. Thisgear is meshed with a gear 112 as shown in FIG. 18, and the gear 112 inturn is meshed with a gear 113. The gears 112 and 113 are in a 1:1 ratioand are connected to the respective ends of a pair of shafts 322 and 325so that the latter are driven in a 1:1 ratio.

The gear also drives gear 115 which in turn is connected to the main camshaft 210 of the machine. This shaft 211) and the shafts 322 and 325extend longitudinally of the gathering station and are supported forrotation in hearings in turn mounted on a pair of main mounting andsupport plates, including plate 21.7, located at the left and right handsides of the gathering station.

The conveyor chain 365 mentioned above, and aspects of which will bedescribed in detail hereinbelow, is driven by a drive sprocket 120, FIG.11. This chain is trained around an idler sprocket 121 which ispositioned somewhat outboard of the gathering station as will be evidentin FIGS. 11 and 21, and the chain 365 is also trained around an idlersprocket 122 located outboard of the stapling heads. The sprocket fordriving the chain 365 receives a drive transmitted from the drive motor.

As shown in FIGS. 18 and 20, the parts associated with the gatheringstation of the machine are cantilevered over the saddle SD. In order toenable hand feeding of exceptionally small signatures to beaccomplished, the main mounting plates referred to above as located atthe sides of the gathering station, and including the mounting plate217, are formed with lower extensions 130, FIG. 20, that are pivotallymounted on a heavy mounting bar 131, FIGS. 1 and 20. The mounting bar131 is supported by blocks as 135, and these in turn are bolted to thebase 100 of the machine. An intermediate mounting and support plate 137,FIG. 20, is interposed between the end mounting plates as 217, and theshafts 210, 322 and 325 are rotatably supported at the upper portion ofthe intermediate mounting plate 137. The mounting plate 137 includes abottom leg 138 which is also pivotally mounted on the support bar 131,and a block 140 is pivotally mounted on one side of the mounting plate137.

A hydraulically actuated piston 142, FIG. 20, is threadedly connected tothe block 140, and the cylinder 143 of this piston is pivotallyconnected to a stationary block 145 mounted at the rear of the base 100of the machine.

Fluid pressure is adapted to be supplied to the cylinder 143 from areservoir by a pump, and the operating handle for this pump is shown atin FIG. 1. Hence by pumping fluid to the cylinder 143, or draining tiuldtherefrom, the entire gathering station as a unit can be rockedclockwise or counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 20 to position the samerelative to the saddle SD.

Signature Gathering The signature feeding and gathering details of thepresent machine are described and claimed in my aforesaid application ofwhich this is a division, but the description is repeated herein for anover-all disclosure. The details of the machine concerned with makingprovision for stagger stitching are set forth under the separate headingStaggcr Stitching hereinafter, and such constitutes the subject matterof the claims herein.

Each of the supply hoppers from which the signatures are fed isidentical in construction, operation and association with respect tosignature feed and related parts, and hence the description of one alonewill sufiice.

Thus, the signatures S, FIG. 5, are stacked one upon another vertically,and the stack is supported by a bottom plate 200 of the related hopperH1 or H2. It will be observed in FIG. 5 that the bottom support plate200 is downwardly inclined to impart a corresponding slope to asignature stacked thereon, and the signatures are so arranged within thehopper as to have the lap (that is, the extended marginal portion) ofthe bottom sheet in a rearward position. This locates the folded backsof the signatures adjacent a front stop 201 in position ultimately to begrabbed by a gripper means carried rotatably below the related signaturehopper.

The signatures are normally held within the related hopper so as to bein an unreleased state, that is, not released to the action of theaforesaid gripper means, and such is afforded by a signature releasemeans 205 which is carried on a rock shaft 206. The signature releasemeans 205 has a lower end in the form of a release finger 205F which isnormally positioned to apply a positive holding force to the weight ofthe signatures represented by at least the unsupported back extentsthereof as will be evident in FIG. 5. As will be explained, thesignature release means 205 is repeatedly oscillated to be shifted outof and into signature engaging position, and this is to occur in timedrelation to downward pulling of the forward portion or back of asignature .in the hopper and ultimate gripping of the hack thereof.

Thus, and referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the machine includes a driven camshaft 210 which has a relatively large cam 210 2 affixed thereto forrotation therewith. The rock shaft 206, it will be noted, is locatedabove and somewhat forwardly of the cam shaft 210. The rock shaft 206carries a spur gear 212 at one end thereof, and this gear is engaged bya segment gear 213 carried on a bell crank or rocker arm 215 which issupported for rotation on a pin 214 supported in turn by one of the mainsupport plates 217 of the machine which serve to support the bearingsfor the various shafts and related parts.

The arm of the bell crank 215 opposite that which carries the segmentgear 213 rotatably supports a cam fol lower 216 which is associated withthe cam 2102. A spring 220 has one end anchored on a stud affixed to theaforesaid mounting plate 217, and the opposite end of this spring isfixed to a pin carried by the arm of the bell crank 215 having thesegment gear 213 thereon. The spring 220 thus serves to hold the camfollower 216 in positive contact with its cam 21tl-2, and repeatedrotation of: the cam shaft 210 repeatedly presents the lobe and thedwell of this cam to the follower 216 causing repeated rocking of thebell crank 215 and having the segment gear 213 thereon. The spring 220thus serves to hold the cam follower 216 in positive contact with itscam 210-2, and repeated rotation of the cam shaft 210 repeatedlypresents the lobe and the dwell of this cam to the follower 216 causingrepeated rocking of the bell crank 215 and, resultantly, oscillation ofthe signature releasing lingers 205F. The action of the cam 210-2 isaccurately timed with respect to related signature feed operations to bedescribed hereinafter, and such timing is determined by properlyselecting gear ratios, dimensions and cam configurations.

While various different arrangements can he resorted to incidental topositively withdrawing a signature from its hopper, it is preferred thatthis be accomplished by signature pull-down arms 230, FIG. 5, havingsuction cups 2305 at the forward ends thereof in position to applysuction to the lower-most one of the signatures in the related signaturehopper. Thus, when a signature is to be withdrawn from the hopper inposition to be engaged by the gripper means, the arms 230 are pulleddown as viewed in FIG. 5, and the releasing fingers 205F are to beturned clockwise in the proper timed relationship.

The arms 230 are hollow and are connected to a source of vacuum in amanner that constitutes no part of the present invention. The forwardhollow ends of the arms 230 have the suction cups 230$ affixed theretoso that resultant suction can be applied to the folded back of thelower-most signature in the related hopper, and the opposite end of theeach arm 230 is fastened to a support block 233, FIG. 5, which in turnis secured to a mounting shaft 235. By raising and then lowering themounting shaft 235 as viewed in FIG. 5, the suction cups will beoscillated and the lower-most signature will have the forward endthereof pulled downward upon application of suction so as to be in thepath of gripper fingers as will be explained.

The mounting shaft 235 which supports the suction arms 230 carries arelatively large cam follower 236 which is associated with a cam 210-3carried by the cam shaft 210 inwardly of or to the left of the cam 210-2as viewed in FIG. 6. At this point it should be mentioned that the majorextents of the peripheries of the cams 210-2 and 210-3 are high parts orlobes, and that the low parts or dwells, whereat the signature releasingand pull-down means 205 and 230 are effective, are of relatively shortangular extent since the parts 205 and 230 are operated only at the timethe signature gripping means is approaching and at the effective pointof its travel. Thus, it will be noted in FIG. 5 that the dwell or lowpart of the cam 210-3 is approximately of 90 extent, and the dwell orlow part of cam 210-2 is only about 30.

The shaft 235 which carries the follower 236 is supported at itsopposite ends by a pair of arms as 240, FIG. 6, that are pivotallymounted on related pins aflixed to the mounting plate as 217, and aspring 241 has one end anchored to the shaft 235 and the opposite endthereof is connected to a stationary part of the machine rearward of theshaft 235 to thereby maintain the follower 236 constantly in engagementwith its cam 210-3.

In accordance with the present construction, the signatures, with thefoldcd back in a forward or leading position and with the lap sheetupper-most in each instance, are to be pulled around in a generallycounter clockwise path as viewed in FIG. 5, reaching an invertedposition with the lap sheet downward, and then are to be driven in acontrolled fashion by a positively applied force onto an aligner platewhich is part of a so-called register gauge. While associated with thealigner plate, the signature thus inverted is jostled or joggled toassure that the two sheets thereof are completely flattened tofacilitate further, feeding whereafter other gripper means are theneffective to grasp or hold the exposed signature lap and to withdraw thesignature thus aligned from the register gauge.

A pair of discs 240A and 2408, FIG. 6, are located beneath the relatedsignature supply hopper, and these discs are arranged in spaced relationon and are fixed to the cam shaft 210 so as to rotate therewith. Thesediscs and associated parts are identical in construction and action, andhence disc 240A is alone shown in FIG. 5, An eccentrically located rockshaft 243 is extended between the two discs as shown in FIG. 7, and apair of gripper fingers 240F are secured to the rock shaft 243 forrocking motion therewith. Each gripper finger 2401 is positioned totightly press on a related gripper shoe 240$ affixed to a related disc.As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the rock shaft 243 has a spur gear 245 fixedto one end thereof, and this gear as will be explained immediatelybelow, is effective to rotate the rock shaft 243 to urge the fingers24tlF toward their gripper shoes 2408 to tightly hold therebetwen thefolded back of a signature.

Rocking motion of shaft 243 is induced by a segment gear 246G, FIG. 5,which is part of a segment gear rocker arm 245A, the latter beingpivotally mounted at 246P, FIG. 5, to the side of the disc 240A on whichthe spur gear 245 is located. Thus, the arm 246A which has the segmentgear associated therewith is free to rock on a pivot carried by the disc240A, and when so rocked will impart rotary motion to the gear 245 tothereby rock the gripper fingers 240F.

Pivotal action is imparted to the arm 246A by stationary cam meansrelative to which the disc 240A rotates. Thus, the arm 246A rotatablycarries a follower 2461 FIG. 5, intermediate the pivot 2461 and thesegment gear formation 246G. The follower 245F is located to follow thecontour of a C-shaped segment cam 247-5 which is supported in a fixedposition by a stationary arm 250. Springs 251 and 252 have ends anchoredto pins on the arm 246A, and the opposite ends of these springs arelikewise anchored to the disc 240A to thereby urge the cam followeragainst the cam 247-5.

The cam 247-5 has a surface 247H, FIG. 5, of constant radius ofcurvature, and this are extends for substantially The surface 247Hterminates at inwardly sloped flat surfaces 247A and 2478. The follower246F, FIG. 5, travels counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 5, and as itmoves from the end of the surface 247H on to surface 2478, this occurssubstantially as the open fingers 240F pass approximately midway of thesuction arm 23G. The gripper fingers 2401 thus are open the maximumextent so long as the follower 246F is on surface 247H of cam 247-5, andwhen thus open the fingers 240F are radially inward of the periphery ofthe associated disc 240A, and hence will clear the signature pulled downby the suction members 2305.

However, as the follower 246F passes beyond the end of surface 247H ofcam 247-5 and onto the flat chordal portion 247B thereof, FIG. 5, thefingers 240F close quickly on the folded back of a signature to hold thesignature in contact with the shoes 240$ carried by discs 240A and 2408.The suction cups as 2305 are valved to vent to the atmosphere just asthe gripper fingers are effective to grab the back of a signaturereleased from the supply hopper, and accordingly the signature is freedto the pulling action of the gripper fingers 240E The signature is thuspulled around with the discs 240A and 24GB in a counterclockwisedirection as viewed in FIG. 5, and as shown schematically in FIG. 4A,this gradually inverts the signature so that the lap sheet becomesbottommost as will be apparent from FIG. 4B. The signature thuswithdrawn from the supply hopper is to be directed into a register gaugeRG, FIG 5, wherc at the signature will be propel-y positioned for thenext feeding operation performed thereon. There is a register gauge foreach signature hopper, and each such gauge is inclusive of a pair ofspaced aligner plates 260, FIGS. 2, 2A and 5, disposed to lie in aninclined plane which slopes downwardly and rearwardly away from eachdisc as 240A as viewed in FIG. 5. An adjustable stop is ussociated witheach pair of plates 260 so as to enable the signature fed thereto tohave the lap edge thereof pro jecting freely over and beyond the upperedges of the paired plates 260 as viewed in FIGS. 5 and 9. Thus, eachplate 260 is slitted longitudinally at 2608, FIGS. 2 and 2A, andslidable back stops 261 are arranged trans verse to these slits. Eachstop 26] has a flange 26IF resting on the associated aligner plate 260,and a screw is passed thercthrough and through the slit 2608. A wing nutWK is threaded onto the screw, and the relationship is such that byloosening the wing nut the back stop can be positioned as desired andthen held in place by tightcn ing the wing nut.

in order that the signatures will be properly positioned in the registergauges, mcans are afforded in the present instance for driving thesignature with a positive feed action into the register gauge whileassuring that each signature will have the lap properly positionedrelative to the forward or upper edge of the aligner plates 260. Suchpositive feed action, together with support of the signature during thein-feeding operation into the register gauge, is afforded by a pair offeed rollers 265, FIGS. 5 and 7, each of which is disposed to engage arelated one of the discs 240A and 2408. Moreover, each feed roller isspring urged into contact with the related disc; and hence will bedriven by the disc and will also be driven or rotated during theinfeeding of a signature as will be apparent from the description tofollow.

The feed rollers 265 are supported for free rotation by arms 266. Thearms 266 in reality are in the nature of levers and each is pivoted asat 268, FIG. 5, to the lower end of a feed roller drive arm 270. Eachdrive arm 270 is pinned to a rock shaft 271, and referring to FIG. 7 itwill be noted that this rock shaft is disposed to extend parallel to thecam shaft 210.

In order that the rollers 265 will be urged positively into contact withthe related discs, arms 266 in each instance is formed with a rearwardextension 266R, FIG. 5, and a mounting boss 2668 is formed on the uppersurface of the extension 266R. An arm 273 is supported in fixed positionabove the extension 266R, and this arm also includes a boss 2788. A coilspring 230 has the open ends fitted over the bosses 2668 and 2788, andthis coil spring is normally effective to urge the related arm 266 in acounterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 5 to hold the related feedroller 265 in contact with the peripheral surface of the related disc as240A or 2408.

The feed rollers 265 are adapted to shift between points P and Q shownin FIG. 5, these being points of contact of the rollers 265 with therelated disc 240A or 2408. A a signature is pulled around by the gripperfingers 2401 the feed rollers 265 are disposed at contact point P, andas the signature is pulled beyond point P, the signature will then bedisposed between the rollers 265 and the related discs 240A and 2408. Atpoint P, the signature is aligned with the throat of the register gaugeRG.

Cam 2-'l75 is so configured that as the follower 246F is approximatelymidway of the surface 247A thereof, the gripper fingers 240F commenceeffectively to open, and this occurs once the folded back of a signaturehas passed beyond point P and has proceeded toward point Q. At this timethe feed rollers 265, which are rubber surfaced, are effective tosupport the signature, but it is now desired that the signature bedirected with a posi tive action into the register gauge, and this isattained by imparting a positive drive to the arms 266 in a rightdtandor register-gauge direction as viewed in PK}. 5. Thus, and referring nowto FIG. 7, a earn 282-6 is affixed to the cam shaft 2]!) so as to rotatetherewith. This cam has a relatively short dwell 282-D. A control arm283 is affixed to the rock shaft 271 and carries a follower 283F whichis urged into contact with cam 2826 by a spring 2835, FIG. 7. When thedwell 2824) is presented to the follower 283R FIG. 7, it will be seenthat rock shaft 271 will be rocked clockwise as viewed in this figuredue to the action of spring 2838, and this is equivalent to a forwardfeed stroke of the roller supporting arms 266 causing the rollers 265 tomove from point P to point Q. This is a relatively swift spring-inducedaction, and it will be recognized that the dwell 282-D is of relativelyshort duration.

Thus. as the cam follower 233i moves inward" in fol lowing the cam dwcll2S2-D, arms 266 advance the feed rollers 265 from points P to points Q,and the converse takes place as the follower 283F gradually movesoutward of the dwell 282-D on to the prolonged high part or lobe of cam2$26. The dwell area ZEJFD is so configured as to assure that there willbe a slight pause of the rollers 265 at their points Q, and this pauseis sufhcicnt to impart a slowing down action to the signature movinginto the regi ter gauge so that when the signature is finally freed ofthe discs 240A and 2408 it will not hounce' against the back stop 26f.Thus, if there is excessive bounce of the signature on the aligncr plate269, there will be no assurance that the tap will be properly positionedat the front or upper edge of the aligner plate 260.

The next operation performed on the signature is to withdraw the samefrom the aligner plate and to separate the two sheets thereof. Thissequence is iilantratcd in FIGS. 4C to 4F inclusive. To therefore assurethat the signatures come to rest in a perfectly llat state on thealigner plates 260, means are afforded to liatten the signatures, andsuch means includes a flattencr plate 38 FIGS. 2A and 9, which islocated between and normally spaced above a pair of the aliguer plates260 and co operates with the latter in affording the afo"ncntionedthroat of the register gauge. Thus, after a s ature has been fed on to apair of the aligncr plates 251}. the arsociatcd flattener 300 for thatparticular register gauge is to be moved quickly and forcefully towardthe aliu-icr plates 26f), as viewed in FIG. 9, to as ure that thesignature S will have the upper leaf thereof I flat on the lower leaf.Each such llattener plate 3001s supported primarily by a leaf spring 303having one end tclescoped over a stud 305 which in turn is connected tothe llattener plate 300. Surrounding the shank of the stud M15 andinterposed belween the plates 303 and 3th) is a coil spring 308 which isinterposed as a safety device to provide yielding in the event severalsignatures should accidentally bulk up in the signature gauge to morethan ta thickness. Thus, motion is imparted to the tlattener plate 3th]through the conjoint action of springs 393 and But; as a yieldableinterconnection. The end of the leaf spring 303 opposite the stud 305 isconnected to a block 310 at the back of the machine, and this block inturn is supported by a stationary shaft 311' at the back of the machineas will be particularly evident in F162.

Motion is imparted to the leaf spring 36 3 by a presser roller 312carried at the lower end of an upwardly di rccted arm 315, and theopposite end of this arm carries a cam follower 315F associated with acam in carried by the cam shaft 2K0. The fOllOWCl 3i'5l normally held inengagement with the cam 36 by a 'ing 32%? which has one end secured tothe llattcner plate Stilt and the other end secured to a pin or block323 which pivotally supports the arm 315 on a stationary i'uountingshaft 325'. The shaft 325 extends parallel to the cam shaft 210 and islocated somewhat rearwardly of and below the cam shaft 210.

Signatures are withdrawn from each aligher gauge by means which graspthe lap of the lower sheet of the signature on the associated aligncrplates. Additionally, the sheets or leaves of the signature arethereafter spread into a V-form, dropped on to a track in the form of asaddle SD, and the signature is advanced along the track or saddle SD bya conveyor means to a stitching station, an it will be appreciated thatultimately there will be at least two signatures on the saddle one atopthe other before a signature reaches the stitching station. Such meansincludes a pair of discs generally indicated at 3H) in FIG. 5, each ofwhich is spaced from and paired with one of the discs 240A and 2 308.Each disc as 31ft carries a gripper finger 310i which operates in themanner described above in connection with the gripper fingers 240R Thus,each gripper finger 310F is carried by a spur gear 311 driven by asegment gear Bill, the latter being carried on an arm 514. The gear 311and the arm 9 314 are supported for turning motion on a pin carried bythe disc 310, and the arm 314 has a follower 3l4F which is under controlof a C-shaped cam 315-7 having surfaces to be referred to specificallyhereinafter. Cam 315-7 in turn is supported on a stationary shaft 321relative to which the discs 310 turn.

The discs 310 are carried on a driven shaft 322, and spaced opposite theshaft 322 and in parallel horizontal alignment therewith is a drivenshaft 325 which has a pair of discs 327, FIGS. and 8, fixed thereto soas to be driven with the shaft 325. The discs 310 have solid metallicsurfaces, but the discs 327 have hollow rubber tubes 328 extended aboutthe periphery thereof, and the ends of these tubes are held in aflattened state against cut-out shoulders as 330 afforded by in effectnotching the discs 327. The size of the tubes 328 and the spacing of theouter surfaces thereof relative to the unyielding peripheries of thediscs 310 is such that the outer surfaces of the tubes 328 will pressresiliently against the solid peripheries of disc 310 in order to assurethat a signature in a spread state is properly positioned on the saddletrack SD in a manner to be explained.

One of the discs 327 carries an opening finger 327F, and this finger isfastened to a block 330 which in turn is clamped to a rock shaft 331extending between and supported by the discs 327 for rotation relativethereto. An operating arm 335 is clamped to the rock shaft 331, and thisarm is urged in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 5 by acoil spring 336, the coil spring having one end anchored in a notch inthe end of arm 335 opposite the shaft 331, and the opposite end of thespring 336 is anchored to a pin 337 carried by one of the discs 327. Acam follower 335F is rotatably mounted on the arm 335 intermediate theends thereof, FIGS 5 and 8, and the spring 336 is effective to hold thefollower in contact with a cam 3408 supported by a stationary arm 341.As best shown in FIG. 8, the arm 341 has a relatively large openingtherein which surrounds the driven shaft 325, and the opposite or upperend of this arm has a boss 3418. Such showing also demonstrates themanner in which the arms 250 and 320 are supported in the machine.

The relationship of the fingers 310F and 327F is shown in FIG. 5, notingthat the discs 327 rotate clockwise while the discs 310 rotatecounterclockwise. Now, if the discs 310 and 327 be envisioned as turnedabout 90 from the position shown in FIG. 5 so that the fingers 310F and327F are at the top of their discs, the fingers 31.0F under thiscondition would be just clamping the lap only (see FIG. 4D) of asignature against the related shoes 310$ carried by the discs 310. Then,as the discs 310 continue to rotate counterclockwise, the fingers 310Fcontinue to be carried around counterclockwise and continue to hold thelap end of the signature against the related shoes 3108 as will beapparent from FIGS. 4C to 4B inclusive and this condition is maintaineduntil the discs 310 have turned about 135 from the position shown inFIG. 5. In the meantime, the discs 327 are rotating clockwise from theFIG. 4C position to the FIG. 5 position, and the follower 335Feventually passes on to the relatively long well or flat portion of thecam 2408, FIG. 5. The discs 327 are located inside the spacing betweenthe discs 310 and therefore, as the follower 335F travels along thedwell of cam 3408, the opening finger 327F is rocked counter-clockwiseas viewed in FIG. 5 and enter in between the sheets or leaves of thesignature that is being held tightly by the fingers 319F as shown inFIG. 4E. Consequently, the sheets or leaves of the signature commencespreading apart as shown in FIGS. 4E and 4F, and during such spreadingapart the tubes 328 engage the signature and hold it firmly against thesolid peripheries of the disc 310 whereby the signature when released bythe fingers 310F will be forcefully fed down by the feed bight nowestablished between the engaged facing surfaces of the discs 310 and327. Eventually the follower 314F rides oil the surface 31543 of cam315-7 thereby causing the fingers 310F to open, that is, they move awayfrom the shoes 310$, releasing the signature. As this occurs, FIG. 4F,the signature is already free of finger 327F, and the signature dropsonto the saddle SD. The fingers 310F remain open as they travel alongthe high part of cam 315-7 which lies between surfaces 315B and 315-Athereof, whereafter this follower then travels on cam surface 315Aproducing closing movement of the fingers 310F and the resultantgrasping of the exposed lap of the next signature lying on the relatedaligner plates 260, this being evident from a comparison of FIGS. 4F and4C.

The foregoing describes the manner in which the signatures are lap fedfrom their individual supply hoppers, inverted, properly gauged for thenext lap feed, and then lap fed in such a manner as to be dropped on tothe saddle SD with the leaves of each signature spread apart. There aretwo hoppers H1 and H2 as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and it should bepointed out in connection with FIG. I that the signature feed partsassociated with each hopper are adapted to be covered by transparentcover plates Cl and C2 which are in a raised position illustrated inFIG. 1 for properly revealing the same.

The individual signatures thus removed from the related supply hoppersand dropped on to the saddle SD, are to be gathered into groups of twoon the saddle, and this particular station of the machine is referred toherein as the gathering station indicated by the reference character GSin FIG. 1. The saddle SD, as shown in FIG. 11, extends lengthwise of themachine from the gathering station all the way to and past the stitchermechanism generally indicated by the reference character SR in FIGS. 1and I1, and the stitcher mechanism (of a known kind I is provided withtwo laterally adjustable stapling heads SH identifying what is referredto herein as the stitching station. Since the stitcher mechanism is of aknown kind. it suffices to point out generally that stitching wire isfed from a supply reel down into the stapling heads SH which arepositioned above related stapling anvils and over which the signaturegroups are to be stationarily located so that the several signaturesaffording each book will be stapled together in the usual fashion. Itwill be realized that each signature itself comprises several pagesdepending upon the extent to which the signature has been folded.

In gathering the signatures and in conveying these to the stitchingstation, resort is had to a continuous feed band that runs beneath thestationary track afforded by the saddle SD, and feed fingers of twodifferent kinds are carried by the feed band. The saddle, as will beparticularly evident in FIG. 5, is spread so as to have a back plate 368and a front plate 369. The plates are arranged in generally invertedV-shape with the apex disposed upwardly, but the upper edge of the frontplate 369 terminates short of the upper edge of the back plate 368 so asto afford a longitudinally extending channel 370C, FIGS. 3 and 5, andthe feed fingers mentioned above move with the band directly inalignment with this channel so as to be erectable to engage the rear ortrailing edge of a signature group.

The conveyor band is in the form of a chain 365. FIG. 15, parts of whichwill be be described below in connection with the mounting of the feedfingers thereon, and this chain is trained over sprockets as describedin connection with FIG. 11. One of these is a drive sprocket in turndriven by means including bevel gears (not shown) driven by the maindrive motor of the machine. The bevel gears are so selected and a gearbox (not shown) is interposed in the drive system, to produce thedesired timing of the conveyor belt or band represented by the chain365. Gears can be interchanged to correspondingly alter the rate ofmovement of the chain 365 so that it will he assured that the signatureS-I, FIG. 3, fed from the hopper HI will first be dropped on to thesaddle and then advanced along the stationary saddle to a positionimmediately opposite hopper H2 where a signature S2 is to be droppedthercover to afford the booklet or signature group ultimately to bestapled. The two signatures thus in unstltched booklet form are thenadvanced to the stitching station. maintained stationary at thestitching station to enable stapling to be effected, and the completedbook is then fed from the stitching station to a collecting table,whereafter the pages are cut as may be necessary and the signaturesarranged in a stack. Inasmuch as staples can impart a significantthickness to each booklet. the present machine is so constructed as toaccount for stagger stitching as will be now described.

Stagger Stitching A signature as 3-1 dropped on to the saddle fromhopper H1 is advanced forwardly to receive the next signature as 5-2 bya feed linger 370, FIG. 15, and each such feed linger as 370 is in theform of a bell crank having an erectable signature-engaging finger 3'71and a leg 372 joined thereto at right angles. The erect position isillustratcd in dotted lines in FIG. 15, and the upper end of the feedfinger 371 is adapted to project upwardly through the channel 370C aswill be particularly evident in FIG. 12. and in this position will be sodisposed as to engage the trailing edge of a signature as S1, FIG. 3.

The chain 365 for the most part is constructed from standard rollerlinks. Each member 370 is pivotally connectcd to the chain 365. This isaccomplished by interposing in the chain a straight lug link plate 375,FIG. 13. olf-set to lie on the inside of the chain 365, that is, theside of the chain that is disposed toward the back plate of the saddleas shown in FIG. 12. The feed menibcr 370 is spot welded or otherwiseconnected to one of the pivot rollers of the link plate 375 so as to befree to swing. The leg 372 of each feed member 370 is provided at theend opposite the pivot with a lateral extension or lug 377, FIG. 15, butit may here be pointed out that for stagger stitching this extension orlug 377 will alternately be of the size 377A or 3778, FIG. 14, and thereason for this will be pointed out hereinbelow.

In any event, the conveyor mechanism in the present instance is soconstructed as to assure that the feed fingers 371, which advance thesignature groups forwardly from the gathering station to the signaturestitching station, will be dropped to an ineffective or inoperativeposition once a group of signatures has reached the stitching stationwhcrcat the stapling heads are located. This is accomplished under thepresent invention by associating a rail or supporting member 380. FIGS.13 to 15 and 21, with the laterally extended lugs carried by the legs ofthe feed elements 370, and this rail is of such an extent as to have oneend. FIG. 21. located near the sprocket 121, FIG. 11, where the conveyorchain 365 turns from its lower to its upper pass to carry the signatureadvancing elements 370 through the gathering station. The opposite end38015. of the rail 380, FIG. 15, terminates short of the stitchingstation. and this opposite end 380E of the rail is so located that as anarrow lug 377A passes therefrom the corresponding feed member 370 isfree to drop and pivot clockwise. whereupon the signature group that wasbeing advanced thereby is positioned accurately in a stationary stateunderneath the stapling heads. The particular signature feed oradvancing member 370 shown in FIG. 15 has moved beyond this position andhas already been dropped to its inctl'ective position so as to passfreely beneath a signature group at the stitching station, but thedashed arrow in llG. 15 illustrates the motion involved. The staplingheads and associated parts are adjustable for signatures of differentsizes and to enable the stapling station to be oriented with respect tothe dropping point of the fingers 371.

As the feed elements 370 are carried upward by the conveyor chain justprior to arriving at the right hand end of the gathering station asviewed in FIG. 11, these are biased to an upward or effective positionbecause it is here that the leg 372 of these feeder elements firstcommence to engage the rail 380. Hence as the feeder elements 370 movethrough the gathering station the fingers 371 are in an upright positionin the channel 370C, FIG. 12, and engage and forcefully move thesignatures along the saddle until the opposite or drop otl end of therail 380 is encountered adjacent the stitching station.

Alternating [along] among the feed elements 370 having the feederfingers 371 are feed elements 390 constituting a second set of feedmembers. These feed elements or members in the second set have fingers391, which, as shown in FIG. 15, are normally in a dropped orineffective position throughout the extent of the rail 380. In otherwords. the feed elements 390 have nothing to do with advancingsignatures to the stitching station. and the fingers 391 thereof, whiletraversing the gathering station, move below what constitutes the apexor folded back of a signature on the portion of the saddle SDcoextensive with the gathering station. Each of the feed elements 390 asmentioned. includes a feed linger 391. and each such feed element is ofbell crank form so as to have a leg 392 in position to travel along thetop of the rail 380. The feed members 390 are pivotally associated withthe chain 365, and this is accomplished by making the followingconnections. Referring to FIG. 13, double strand connecting links 398are interposed in the standard chain links, and this portion of thechain is joined by off-set connecting links 399 to a standard rollerlink 400 which is equipped with a bent lug 401. The portion of the chainnext to the right of the lug 401 as viewed in FIG. 13, includes astandard connecting link and next an offset connecting link 403 which isjoined to the standard chain construction. Thus. the chain is ofstandard construction except in the area where the feed members areinterposed.

A standard straight lug link plate 405 is connected in off-set relationto the inside of the chain 365, that is, the side that is adjacent therail 380, and the feed members 390 are pivotally mounted thereon. A coilspring 410, FIG. 16, has one end fastened to the upper side of the leg392 of each feed member 390, and the opposite end of this spring bearson the underside of the fixed lug 401 carried by the chain. Thus, thespring 410 normally tends to urge each feed member 390 in a clockwisedirection as viewed in FIG. 15, but so long as a leg 392 is riding onthe rail 380. the associated feed member 390 cannot be so turned.However, as the leg 392 passes oil the end of the rail 380 prior toreaching the stapling station where a stationary and stapled signaturegroup is located. the spring 410 is then free to expand and hence theassociated vfeed finger 391 moves from the dropped or ineffective fullline to the etfective upright dotted line position illustrated in FIG.15. This finger 391 is thus erect in the saddle channel and is inposition to advance a stapled book out of the stitching station to theend of the saddle where it is collected with the others that havepreviously been stapled.

In accordance with the present invention, the machine can be modified atwill to produce stagger stitching of the kind discussed hereinafter, andthis is made possible by having resort to an adjustable rail 420, FIGS.13 and 14, which is located adjacent the inside face of the fixed rail380. The lugs 377A and 3778 are alternately affixed to the trailing endsof alternate ones of the feed members 370. The different sized. lugs orcars 377A and 3773 are of no significance unless stagger stitching is tobe used. In this connection. attention is directed to IIG. 11A showingthe plan for spacing the feed elements associated with the chain 365. Itwill be noted that a leading feed element 370 has been identified as370-1. In actual practice a spring-biased feed clement 3801 for feedinga book is spaced six inches rearward from the feed element 3701 which isto feed a signature group. Spaced fifteen inches from feed element 3S0lis a second signature group feed element 370-2 followed by a second bookfeed element 380-2 spaced seven inches therefrom, and then a thirdsignature group feed element 3703 is spaced sixteen inches rearward ofthe feed elements 3802 followed by a book feed element 3803 spaced sixinches therefrom. It will be noted that this spacing of the feedelements results in a one-inch difference in the spacing betweensuccessive ones of the feed elements 370. If stagger stitching is not tobe utilized in the manner hereinafter explained, then the plan set forthin FIG. llA will simply result in non-staggered stitching, since the endof the rail 380, where the signature group feed fingers 371 are droppedand where the book feed fingers 391 are raised, is in effect a fixed anddetermined location in the machine.

It will be noted in FIGS. 13 and 14 that the end 420E of the rail 420projects beyond the corresponding end 38013 of the rail 380, and thisidentifies the machine as set up for stagger stitching. Both ends 389Eand 420E of these rails terminate well prior to the stitching station. Afeed element 370 equipped with a narrow lug or car 377A will deposit itssignature in position to be stapled as the lug 377A passes off the end380E of the rail 380. On the other hand, assuming that the end 420E ofthe rail 420 projects say an inch beyond the end 380E of rail 380, andassuming that alternate ones of the feed elements 370 are equipped withwide ears 377B engageable with the rail 420, then it follows that agroup of signatures being advanced by this finger 370 so equipped with awide lug or ear will deposit its signature in effect one inch ahead ofthe previous signature group, thereby accounting for stagger stitchingamong the two groups of signatures thus considered. If stagger stitchingis not to be used, then rail 420 is retracted so that its end 420E atbest is aligned with the end 380E of rail 330, It wiil be appreciatedthat the rail 420 need not have the length of rail 380, since the lug377B spans the width of both rails.

Conclusion The present machine enables signatures to be fed and gatheredat a relatively high speed inasmuch as the manner in which these arepositioned with accuracy and then flattened in the aligner gauge assuresthat the lap of an aligned and llattened signature is in accurateposition for the final lap feeding operation, and inasmuch as the toppage of the aligned signature has been flattened the possibility of ajam is substantially minimized. Moreover, the compressible nature of theperiphery of feed discs 327 assures rather wide contact with thesignature that is to be positioned on the saddle, and hence positioningof a signature on the saddle is more than a mere chance drop. Mechanicalgrippers have been herein illustrated as the gripper means by which thesignatures are withdrawn from the supply magazine and from the alignergauge, but alternatively the gripper means can be based on a vacuum orsuction principle.

The feeding of signatures to the stitching station is a forcing actionas distinguished from friction teed. Thus, the feed fingers 371 forciblyengage the trailing edge of the signatures so as to push the signaturestoward the stitching station, and this results in a substantiallysimplifled mode of signature feeding, which is also true of the feedfingers 391 which move the books out of the stitching station. By havingresort to feed fingers, it is possible to accommodate stagger stitchingin a relatively simple fashion merely by resorting to pivotal parts onthe signature feeders that are so sized as to have a portion engageablewith respective rails, one of which rails is adjustable to locate itsterminal and at a point different from that of the terminal end of theremaining rail, and these terminal ends of the rails in effect representthe different points whereat the signature feed fingers 371 are renderedineffective. It should also be pointed out in this connection that thebook feeder fingers 391 are depressed just prior to entering the channel3700 of the saddle, and this enables signatures of relatively largedimensions to be handled without apprehension of interference by thefeed fingers 391 which are used only to advance books out of thestitching station. The portion of a feed finger engageable with theadjustable rail can merely be a lug or car as has been described, butthe entire leg 372 can be of this width if desired, and spring elementscan also be resorted to in this regard.

Hence, while the preferred embodiments of the present invention havebeen illustrated and described herein, it will be recognized that theseare capable of variation and modification, and I therefore do not wishto be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to availmyself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of thefollowing claims. What I claim to be new is:

1. In a signature feeding machine, signature conveyor mechanism[including] comprising a conveyor band movable in a forward directionfrom a signature gathering station to a signature stitching station, afirst set of feed fingers and a second set of feed fingers supported onsaid band for movement therewith and for pivotal movement between adropped or inoperative position ineffective to engage a signature and araised or operative position effective to engage a signature, means toraise individually the feed fingers in the first set of feed fingersprior to reaching the gathering station so as to engage signatures andto drop the fingers in the first set individually as they approach thesignature stitching station to thereby deposit signatures at thestitching station, and means to drop individually the feed fingers inthe second set prior to reaching the signature gathering station and toraise these as they approach the signature stitching station to therebyadvance signatures out of the stitching station.

2. Mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the first set of fingers areof bell-crank form and have rail en gaging means on [the] one leg thatrides on a rail that extends through the gathering station andterminates short of the stitching station, whereby the fingers in thefirst set are erect as they pass through the gathering station and dropwhen said engaging means passes oil said rail.

3. Mechanism according to claim 2 wherein the rail engaging means arealternately of different size and wherein there is a second railadjustably positioned at the side of the first-named rail to support thelarger of said rail engaging means.

4. Mechanism according to claim 2 wherein the fingers in the second setare also of bell-crank form and have means associated with one legthereof cooperating with said rail to drop the fingers in the second setat the gathering station and raise the same at the stitching station.

5, In a signature feeding machine, signature conveyor mechanism[including] cmnprising a conveyor band movable in a forward directionfrom a signature gathering station to a signature stitching station, afirst set of feed fingers and a second set of feed fingers supported onsaid band for movement therewith and for pivotal movement between adropped inoperative position ineffective to engage a signature and araised operative position (flecrive to engage (1 Signature, a railextending through the gathering station and terminating short of thestitching station, each of the fingers in the first set having anassociated leg with a rail engaging means thereon in position to ride onsaid rail to hold these fingers upright and drop the same when the railis passed, each of. the fingers in the second set having an associatedleg in position to ride on said rail, and each of the last-named legsbeing engaged by means that react on said band to hold these fingersdropped while moving along the rail and to raise the same when the railis passed.

6. Mechanism according to claim 5 wherein an adjustable rail is locatedat the side of the first-named rail to be adjustably extended beyond theend of the firstnamed rail that terminates short of the stitchingstation,

and wherein alternate ones of the rail engaging means are of a size toengage the adjustable rail.

7. In a signature gathering and stitching machine of the kind describedwherein signatures are gathered one atop another at a signaturegathering station and then are conveyed to a stitching station to bejoined by stitching means: means affording a track for signaturesextended from the gathering station to the stitching station, an endlessband arranged adjacent said track to traverse said station, first feedmeans carried by said band effective to pick up signature assemblies atthe gathering station and to move these along said track to thestitching station, means to render the first feed means ineffective tomove the signature assemblies beyond the stitching station, second feedmeans carried by said band and alternating among the first feed meansand effective to advance stitched signature assemblies out of thestitching station, and means to render the second feed means ineffectiveas they move through the gathering station.

8. In a signature gathering and stitching machine of the kind describedwherein signatures are gathered one atop another at a signaturegathering station and then are conveyed to a stitching station to bejoined into a book by stitching means: means affording a track forsignatures extended from the signature gathering station to thestitching station, a feed band arranged adjacent said track to traversesaid station, a plurality of first feed means carried by said bandeffective to pick up signature assemblies at the gathering station andto move these along said track to the stitching station, means to renderthe first feed means ineffective at a predetermined point in theirtravel to move the signature assemblies beyond the stitiching station,means to render alternate ones of the first feed means ineffective at adifferent point in their travel in comparison to the remaining ones ofthe first feed means, and second feed means carried by said band andeffective to advance books out of the stitching station.

9. In a signature gathering and stitching machine of the kind describedwherein signatures are gathered one atop another at a signaturegathering station and then are conveyed to a stitching station to bejoined into books by stitching means: means affording a track forsignatures extended from the gathering station to the stitching station,an endless band arranged adjacent said track to traverse said stations,a first set of feed elements pivotally carried by said band effective topick up signature assemblies at the gathering station and to move thesealong said track to the stitching station, means to render alter nateones of the first feed elements ineffective at predetermined differentpoints in their travel to move the signature assemblies beyond thestitching station and including a [final] first rail in which weightedparts of alternate ones of the first feed elements ride, said first railterminating at the part where said alternate ones of the feed ele mentsare to be ineffective, another rail on which weighted parts of theremaining ones of the first feed elements ride, said other rail beingadjustable to locate its terminal end at the point where said remainingfeed elements are to be ineffective, and second feed means carried bysaid band and effective to advance books out of the stitching station.

10. In a signature gathering and stitching machine of the kind describedwherein signatures are gathered one atop another at a signaturegathering station and then are conveyed to a stitching station to bejoined into a book by stitching means: means affording a track forsignatures extended from the gathering station to the stitching station,an endless band arranged adjacent said track to traverse said stations,a plurality of first feed means carried by said band effective to pickup signature assemblies at the gathering station and to move these alongsaid track to the stitching station, means to render alternate ones ofthe first feed means ineffective at different points 16 in their travelto move the signature assemblies beyond the stitching station, secondfeed means carried by said band and effective to advance books out ofthe stiching station, and means to render the second feed meansineffective as they move through the gathering station.

11. In a machine where book signatures or like paper sheets aretransported, conveyor mechanism including a conveyor band movable in aforward direction from a first station to a second station, a first setof feed fingers and a sccond set of feed fingers supported on said bondfor movement therewith and for pivotal movement between a dnoppcd orinoperative position incflcctivc to engage a sheet and a raised oroperative position cficctive to engage a sheet, means to raiseindividually the food fingers in the first set prior to reaching thefirst station so as to engage sheets and to drop the fingers in thefirst set individually in they approach the second station to therebydeposit sheets at the second station, and means to drop individually thefccd fingers in the second sct prior to reaching the first station andto raise these as they approach the second station to thereby advancesheets on! of the second station.

12. In a machine where hook signatures or like shoots located at a firststation in the machine are to be advanced forwardly therefrom anddeposited at a second station in the machine where a manufacturingoperation is to be performed thereon, supporting means for supportingsaid sheets, a conveyor band means movable in a forward direction alonga forward run and movable along a return run relative to said suportingmeans, said supporting means being substantially horizontal andextending the length of said conveyor runs, finger means mounted on saidconveyor band means for movement therewith and for pivotal movementbctwccn. one position which is a raised, operative position above saidsupporting means to abut and to advance said slicers forwardly by merelypushing them along said supporting means from said first station, saidfinger means being pivotal to a lowered, inoperative position below saidsheets on said supporting means and disengaging from such forwardlyadvanced sheets upon depositing the some on said supporting means at thesecond station, said second station being intermediate the ends of saidsupport means and intermediate the ends of the upper run of saidconveyor band means, rail moons extending between the stations andhaving a terminal end adjacent said second station, said terminal endbeing movubly adjustable in position relative to said support means tochange the position of said second station, said finger means includinga rail engaging means engaging and riding on said rail means no hold thefinger means in one of said positions while said rail engaging meansrides along said rail, said finger means pivoting to its other positionas said rail engaging means passes said terminal end of said rail means,and means on said fingcr means to pivot the finger means to its otherposition and cflcctive to so pivot the finger means when said railengaging means posses said terminal and of said rail means.

References Cited by the Examiner The following references, cited by theExaminer, are of record in the patented file of this patent or theoriginal patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,794,050 2/31 Ackley 270-54 2,709,584 5/55Kleinberg 270-53 2,769,528 11/56 Goodrich et al l98l70 2,936,168 5/60Mestre 270-58 2,940,750 6/60 Mestre 270-58 3,071,369 l/63 Ambrogi 27055EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

